A simple spreadsheet tool is developed and used to generate an economic rationale to guide research towards a commercially attractive catalyst development.

Today, natural gas conversion is the basis of a moderately sized, predominantly chemical business whose primary products are ammonia and methanol. A major focus of natural gas conversion R&D over the last few decades has been the manufacture of conventional, yet cleaner transportation fuels. However, Gas To Liquids technology includes more than Fischer Tropsch technology and extends to other liquid fuels, especially in the oxygenate family (methanol, Dimethyl Ether [DME], etc). The focus of this paper will be the promise of oxygenates for power generation, domestic home cooking, transportation, and as economical chemical intermediates.